SafetyNet 302

SafetyNet 302, November 20, 2014Welcome
to SafetyNet 302. We hope our
subscribers find the journal interesting and useful. If you have any comments
or suggestions, please send them in to Renata ohsinfo@vthc.org.au

Union News

Two farm fatalitiesA teenage boy was killed on Saturday following an accident involving a forklift a farm in Mooroopna, just outside of
Shepparton, 180-kilometres north of Melbourne. Rural Ambulance Victoria spokesman John Mullen said emergency
services were to the farm at about 10.20am. He said when paramedics arrived the boy, believed to be 15 or 16, had passed away. "The boy was deceased when we arrived so there was nothing they could do for him," Mr Mullen said. A Victoria Police spokeswoman said it is believed the boy had
died as a result of a forklift accident. She said police would prepare a
report for the coroner. The VWA will investigate the accident. Source: The Age

Also on Saturday, a 78-year-old man was killed in an incident involving a tractor at a Greta South (near Wangaratta) property. Police
were called to the Bullocks Lane property about 3.30pm after someone
found the man and called emergency services. It appears the tractor rolled backwards, killing the man who had been doing maintenance on the vehicle.

A police spokesperson said the farm was a third generation family run business. WorkCover was called to the property as the farm operates as a business and is working to determine what occurred. Police will be preparing a report for the coroner. Source: The Border Mail

Did you 'Go home on time' yesterday? Yesterday was
National 'Go Home On Time' day – as declared by Beyond Blue. These days it's even more important to warn
workers about the effects of poor work-life balance – with a report released
yesterday by the Australia Institute revealing the average full-time worker is
doing six hours of unpaid overtime each week worth an estimated $9471 a year. ACTU President Ged Kearney said the findings
of the Walking
the Tightrope report were shocking but it is unsurprising that
hardworking Australians are 'donating $110 billion in free labour each year'. Australians are losing the battle for
work-life balance – losing the hard won workplace rights unions have achieved.
Ms Kearney: "…the reason why people are doing more overtime does not surprise
me – job insecurity and an expectation from bosses that employees will work
longer hours."

The head of public health
at the School of Population Health at Adelaide University, Dr Dino Pisaniello,
said though little research had been done on the need to achieve a work-life
balance, what has been done demonstrates long work hours affected not only the
individual but their family. Dr Pisaniello said research showed the health
dangers extended beyond the individual doing the long hours in the workplace. "Fathers,
for example, who are doing this extra time [find] that cuts into the work-life
balance lead to things that are adverse for children," he said. "We
know from research that we've done at the University of Adelaide that unsocial
working hours does lead to [people being] overweight and obesity in children -
that's an indirect effect, but it's all related to the issue." Read more: Go
Home On Time Day; ACTU Media Release Ged Kearney
opinion piece Why Are We All Working So B***dy Hard? The
Hoopla; Health researcher warns of impact of long work
hours, as workers urged to Go Home On Time ABC News
Online

Ask RenataHello Renata,Do I need a license to
operate a tractor which will not be driven on a public road?

Under
the OHS regulations 2007, there is no requirement for a special licence for
tractors. Licences are required for some occupations like riggers, scaffolders,
and to operate certain pieces of equipment, like cranes, forklifts, hoists, and boilers, but
not plain old tractors. (see summary of
the licences
chapter of the regulations)

An
employer must, however, ensure that there are safe work procedures in place,
that the workers are properly trained and supervised, that the tractor and any
attachments are properly maintained and so on.

Please
send any OHS related queries in to 'Ask
Renata' - your query will be responded
to as quickly as we can – usually within a couple of days.

Asbestos NewsVALE: Mr Lyall WattsAll of us
at Asbestoswise and the VTHC were deeply saddened by the news on Saturday
November 15, of the death of Lyall Watts. We will miss Lyall as an active
member, Asbestoswise secretary, constant contributor to the support group,
member of the VTHC Asbestos committee, and most of all as a compassionate
friend. His advocacy as a person living with asbestos
related disease (ARD) was unique in both its breadth and depth. He was passionately
interested in research into the treatment and cure for mesothelioma. He also was active in promoting education and
awareness aimed at reducing future exposure to asbestos dust.

Asbestoswise
and the VTHC send our sincere condolences to his partner, family and many
friends and hope to celebrate his life and commitment by continuing to work
towards positive change.

ASEA Conference: An Australia free of the risks of asbestosThe Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency's
1st International Conference on Asbestos Awareness and Management
was a great success with very interesting and informative presentations from
both international guests and Australians. It featured over 260 international
experts in asbestos and industry, employer groups, unions, governments at all
levels, researchers, medical experts and health professionals, community
groups, and victims of asbestos-related diseases representing the diverse
stakeholders who are affected by asbestos and asbestos-related diseases.

The
conference discussed current challenges and practical solutions to addressing
Australia's asbestos legacy and agreed to a final communiqué outlining the way
forward towards an Australia free of the risks of asbestos. An excerpt from the
Communiqué:

"Asbestos
is a global problem which needs a global solution. The International delegates
support the work Australia is doing to promote asbestos awareness and
management, and commend the Australian Government for establishing the Asbestos
Safety and Eradication Agency and Council.

It
is the consensus of all delegates that all forms of asbestos fibres kill and
the only solution is to eliminate the sources. There is no known safe level of
exposure to asbestos. This conference finds no scientific evidence to support
the concept of controlled use advocated by some in the asbestos producing
industry.

There
are no valid reasons for the sale of asbestos to remain legal in any country.
Australia has a leadership role to play globally and in particular, in the Asia
Pacific, by helping developing countries transition from asbestos dependent to
asbestos free societies."Read more: ASEA Media Release
and Communique [pdf]

Asbestos Awareness Week:
November 24 - 28Please
remember the annual Asbestos Awareness Week and join the campaign to make Australia free
from the risk of asbestos related diseases. There are a few events scheduled
during the week, but if you can't attend one of these, then do something your
workplace: a minute's silence for the thousands of Australian workers and
members of the community who have become victims of this toxic substance; doing
a 'spot check' of any possible asbestos in your workplace; checking that your
employer has an up to date register as required by the regulations; or a short
information and training session. Read
more: Asbestos Awareness Week 2014 ; national information.

How many future "Wunderlichs"?Following news of the
widespread contamination of a suburb by the poorly executed clean-up of the
Wunderlich factory, the CFMEU has raised serious concerns that similar contamination
will arise in the future. This is because the union is coming across soil
contaminated with asbestos on many construction sites, and instead of remediating
the site by removing the soil, developers are opting for capping or 'encapsulating'
the contamination. Peter Clark, OHS Officer with the CFMEU, has said that leaving the asbestos 'in
situ' leaves open the risk of future exposures, particularly if any work is
carried out on the site. The union cannot understand why VWA, the regulator, is
allowing this to go ahead rather than insisting that the sites be cleaned up
properly once and for all.

ACV/GARDS NewsletterGippsland based
ACV/GARDS has posted its last newsletter for the year. Included are items on the
events they are holding during Asbestos Awareness Week, the latest on the James
Hardie saga, their fundraising activities and more. Download the newsletter [pdf]

South Australia: One stop shop for
AsbestosSouth Australia has announced a 'One stop shop' for
Asbestos. The site says the project is a
collaboration between SafeWork SA, SA Health, the Environment Protection
Authority, the Local Government Association, SA Housing and the Department of
Planning, Transport and Infrastructure. The team will co-design and publish a
centrally coordinated cross-agency asbestos information website, which will be
a one-stop-shop for South Australians wanting to know more about asbestos and
how to deal with it.

The website
aims to provide a single co-ordinated South Australian Government interface for
anyone who deals with asbestos or may have questions or concerns about asbestos
in their home or neighbourhood. This is a response to confusion within the
community as a result of the current approach, where a number of different
agencies with asbestos responsibilities are providing their own information.

The project
team will engage directly with government agencies, industry, unions and key
stakeholders. Community stakeholders will be consulted through YourSAy.

ACT: Up to 150,000 tons of asbestos
waste to go into tipThe Canberra Times reports that to up 150,000
tonnes of contaminated material from more than 1000 Mr Fluffy asbestos homes
will be disposed of at the West Belconnen Resource Management Centre within the
next five years despite concerns the capacity of the tip may delay action. An
Asbestos Response Taskforce spokeswoman said the tip was the only location in
the ACT capable of disposing friable asbestos and privately demolished Mr
Fluffy homes had been dumped there in previous years.Read more: The
Canberra Times

Want to know about
Asbestos laws and more – go to the Asbestos
section on the site.

SA: Ambos
protest against violenceParamedics in South
Australia are attending Adelaide
court hearings in uniform in protest of assaults against ambulance officers. Uniformed members were most recently at the
Port Augusta Magistrate's Court last week for the bail hearing of a man who
allegedly stabbed a paramedic in the leg. The Ambulance Employees Association's
state secretary Phil Palmer said paramedics often did not report the frequent
violence and even death threats they experience on the job. He said attending
hearings in uniform was a way to take a stand.

Mr Palmer said violence against paramedics was
impeding their ability to work. "It means they have to worry when they're
on the job, they can't just concentrate on the patient," Mr Palmer said. "They
have to keep their eye on their back as well, and that can't be good for
patient care either….What we want is it to stop. We want people to stop harming
those people that are out there, our members that are out there, only to look
after people - our members are out there for the good of others. We won't rest
until this problem is somehow resolved."Read more:
Paramedics attend court hearings in protest of
violence against ambulance officers ABC News
Online

Research

Triclosan can trigger
cancer in mice A chemical commonly
found in cosmetics, soaps, detergents, shampoos and toothpaste has been found
to trigger liver cancer in laboratory mice, raising concerns about how safe it
is for humans. A study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has found
triclosan, an anti-bacterial agent added to many personal care and kitchen products, promotes the growth
of liver tumours in mice – although in relatively large quantities. The
research is the latest to link triclosan with cancer and liver disease. Other
scientists have urged caution over the findings suggesting that they do not
prove a direct causal link between the chemical and the ill health of people
exposed to it.Read more: Triclosan: Soap
ingredient can trigger liver cancer in mice, warn scientists The
Independent

Regulator News

VWA
issues warning for harvesting seasonThe VWA is
urging farmers to take a proactive approach to safety during the upcoming
harvest season. Executive Director
Health and Safety, Len Neist, said the hay and grain harvest seasons were a
busy time for farmers and it was important that vigilance with safety is
maintained. "Harvest time traditionally means long working hours for farmers.
It's important to take regular breaks, protect yourself from the sun and stay
hydrated to help avoid becoming fatigued," he said. Mr Neist said the intense
workload meant farmers were habitually looking for ways to do things quicker by
taking shortcuts, which meant they often overlooked their own health and
wellbeing.

He added
that the warm weather brought other risks as well. "The paddocks are drier so
farmers need to be mindful of the chance of fires being caused by hot machinery
or poorly maintained equipment," he said. The Media
Release includes a list of 'Harvest safety tips', such as "Properly maintain
plant, particularly brakes, hydraulics, steering, tyre inflation and tread
(poorly inflated tyres contribute to tyre rollover), and ensure machinery
maintenance is up to date." Read more: VWA Media Release Be
safe during harvest

Benalla inspection
coming upRemember
that starting 1 December, VWA inspectors will be in Benalla with health and
safety information and advice for local workplaces. Part of VWA's ongoing Safe Towns campaign, the
week is designed to help employers and workers better understand their roles
and responsibilities in promoting workplace safety and to explain the support
services available to help injured workers get back to work. VWA Regional Operations Manager, Brooke Grey,
said inspectors visiting Benalla would focus on helping Benalla workers avoid
injuries caused by poor manual handling and from slips, trips and falls. "Musculoskeletal-related
injuries accounted for more than 37 per cent of all injury claims across
Benalla in 2013-14. Many of these were caused by activities that led to
unnecessary body stressing," Ms Grey said.Read more: VWA News

Safe Work AustraliaAustralia-wide
fatalitiesAs of November
18, 159 fatalities had been notified to Safe Work Australia – this is twelve
more people killed since November 12! The fatalities are: 42 in Transport, postal and
warehousing; 38 in Agriculture, forestry and fishing; 24 in Construction; 14 in
Mining; 12 in Manufacturing; eight in Arts & recreation services; five in
Accommodation & food services; four in Wholesale Trade; three in
Electricity, Gas & Water Services and in Administrative and support
services; two each in Health care/social assistance and Public administration
and services; and one each in Government administration & defence; and
'other services'.Read more: Safe Work Australia
Work-related fatalities

The latest
monthly fatality report released by SafeWork Australia is that for August during
which time there were 28 work-related notifiable fatalities: 19 male workers
and 1 female worker, 5 male bystanders and 3 female bystanders. Of these
fatalities, 7 workers and 7 bystanders died as a result of incidents in the air
or on public roads. Transport, postal & warehousing workplaces accounted
for 7 fatalities, 6 fatalities occurred in Construction workplaces, 5
fatalities occurred in Electricity, gas, water & waste services and 3
fatalities occurred in Agriculture, forestry & fishing workplaces.
Manufacturing, Arts & recreation services and Administrative & support
services workplaces each had 2 fatalities. The final fatality occurred in a
Public administration & safety services workplace.
Monthly reports can be downloaded from the Safe Work Australia Monthly Fatalities Reports page.

Useful materialsFrom the VWA:More information about Exposure
standards and atmospheric monitoring: this publication provides information on what employers
need to do to ensure their employees are not exposed to an atmospheric
concentration of a hazardous substance above the exposure standard (if any) for
a hazardous substance or any of its ingredients. It should be read with More information about Health Surveillance.

OHS Prosecutions

Victorian
Prosecutions1 – Dairy
producer fined for guarding breachesOn 3 April 2013, an employee of Fresh Cheese Co (Aust) Pty Ltd, a
Broadmeadows manufacturer of dairy products, was scraping out a piece of cheese
from a cheese stretching machine when his left hand was caught between the
outlet of the machine and one of its rotating augers. The fire brigade was
called to cut through the auger with an angle grinder to free his hand. The
worker suffered cuts across his middle and index fingers, and the webbing
between his middle and ring finger, and his index finger required the insertion
of a plate and screws.

It was found that sensors on the stretcher machine designed to isolate
it when the lid of the machine was open for cleaning, were not working and had
not been working for two months. There was an ongoing problem with the sensors
failing and they would be replaced, work for a while, and then stop. The
company was aware that the switches would fail. There were no instructions or
training in procedures for the electrical isolation and lock out and tag out of
machines for cleaning. On 6 November 2014, the company pleaded guilty to breaching
Section 21(1), (2)(a) and 2(e) of the OHS Act [failing to maintain plant; and
failing to provide information, instruction and training to employees]. The
company was convicted in the Broadmeadows Magistrates' Court, and fined an aggregate $10,000 plus costs of $3,245.Source:
The VWA Prosecution result summaries

International
News

India: 30
years on from Bhopal tragedy, Dow Chemical shareholders demand justiceOn the eve of the 30th anniversary of the Bhopal gas leak, shareholders
in Dow Chemical are to table two resolutions calling for the company to accept
responsibility for the worst industrial disaster in history, to fully
compensate victims and to pay for a full-scale clean-up. Dow, which completed a
takeover of Union Carbide Corporation (UCC) in 2001, claims it has no corporate
responsibility to face the charges open in the Indian court and has
consistently failed to appear at hearings, despite repeat summonses. The resolution,
to be put by Calvert Investments (which has a Sustainability Research and
Policy unit) at the upcoming AGM, will call for Dow Chemicals to acknowledge
that, rather than becoming a shareholder in UCC (which Dow's management
claims), the companies became a single entity, thus combining assets and
liabilities. The company would then be forced to face the civil and criminal
proceedings in India.
This could lead to the company being hit with billions of dollars' worth of
fines, but would, say shareholders, allow it to operate as normal in the Indian
market.Read more: International
Business Times

USA: Four
workers killed at DuPont plant Texas Investigators from the Chemical Safety & Hazard Investigation Board
(CSB) are in Texas probing a chemical leak
that killed four workers and injured a fifth at a chemical giant DuPont plant
in La Porte, Texas on Saturday. The four plant workers
died after methyl mercaptan exposure, a rare outcome for the common, yet
dangerous, chemical used to give natural gas its rotten-egg smell and as a
feedstock for insecticides and fungicides. The chemical is used by the plant's
crop protection unit, which takes up about half of DuPont's 800-acre,
320-emloyee complex.

Production operator Robert Tisnado was near the end of his 12-hour when
he heard a female colleague call for help from the operations building where
she had gone to check on a line. He rushed inside, followed by crew supervisor
Wade Baker, 60. According to early reports, the men, not carrying masks, were
overcome by a cloud of toxic gas. After losing radio contact with his three
co-workers, Robert's brother, board operator Gilbert "Gibby" Tisnado,
48, grabbed a gas mask and ran in to help. He removed his mask and tried to place
it on his brother, but it was too late for all of them.